Lieutenant General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 47 – the son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, commander of land forces of Uganda People's Defence Force, and a presidential adviser on special operations – has announced his retirement from the army. Does this mean he is now one step closer to launching his political career?
Muhoozi announced his retirement in a tweet on Tuesday 8 March, surprising even some of the people close to him. “I was unaware of it,” a person close to him tells the journalists For Muhoozi, the move requires applying for retirement and getting approval. Brigadier Gen. Felix Kulyigye, the spokesperson for the army, did not answer our questions and referred back to Muhoozi’s post.
It is reported that Muhoozi had threatened to retire after failing to receive about $56m that he had requested to improve the troops’ welfare. “If my soldiers’ problems are not sorted, I will retire from the army by next year,” he reportedly said.
In recent weeks, Muhoozi was in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo commanding Uganda’s army. Along with its DRC counterpart, the Ugandan army is fighting the Allied Democratic Forces rebels.
Available records indicate that Muhoozi, who if released could become one of the youngest people at his rank to be granted retirement from the army, became a serviceman in 1999 as a cadet officer. "I have only love and respect for all those great men and women that achieve greatness for Uganda every day," the man elevated to the rank of a Major General in 2016 observed.
Mainstream social media services including Twitter and Facebook remain dominated by messages touting First Son Muhoozi as the next Ugandan president although the 47-year-old has not publicly declared interests.
His intent to retire remains a subject of the army's approval under the UPDF Act, 2005.
“An officer may in writing tender the resignation of his or her commission to the board but shall not unless otherwise ordered by the Chief of Defence Forces, be relieved of the duties of his or her appointment until he or she has received notification, in writing, of the approval of his or her resignation by the board,” reads section.
Content created and supplied by: Mohamed_Dubat_Dahir (via Opera News )
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